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Disclaimer: This is not an original post. I would like to just put this in my blog if ever I wanted to read this over and over again sometime in the future. I get too clumsy at times where I put links that I am saving that is why my blog is a place that is safe for me to put something such as this.

It’s 3PM, you’re supposed to turn in your weekly report in two hours, attend a team meeting, answer your backlog of emails, and clean up your colleague’s power point presentation. You’re far from done and don’t know where to start. With your heart palpitating and palms sweating you: a) panic and cry, b) fake an illness and tell your boss you need to go home, c) submit a half-baked report, leave the meeting early, ignore the mails, but finish the power point presentation.

Whether you chose a), b), or c) at one point in your career, you know that none of these approaches are good solutions to such stressful situations. If you find yourself in similar situations, we suggest you try your hand at these:

Scribble stuff down
Half the battle with stress is done once you write what has to be done. Having the tasks floating in your head makes them seem like lofty, unreachable ideas, but having them written in black and white makes them more concrete and achievable. Plus, there’s a sense of fulfillment in being able to cross out the chores once they’re done.

Stop and breathe
When we’re drowning in a sea of deadlines and to-do’s, we tend to breathe short and rapid breaths thereby cutting down our oxygen in-take.

Try this: Simply pause, place your hands on your lap and sit up tall. This simple act creates space in your lungs so that you can take in more air than you would if you were hunched. Close your eyes and begin to control your breathing, inhaling through the nose and feeling the air fill your lower belly, up through the lungs, and to the chest. Inhaling is 50% of one breath cycle. The other half is exhaling, which is just as important. Let your exhales be as long as your inhales, creating a smooth breathing pattern that teaches your mind and body to relax.

Step away from the issue
When faced with the same daunting tasks for long stretches, stressed people tend to develop mental blinders—blockages that prevent them from seeing the bigger picture. This gets people stuck in a rut, and the only way to “unstick” them is to take a step away from the matter at hand—even for just a few minutes. Quick distractions like a brisk walk around the office, a coffee run, or a 5-minute shut-eye can help get rid of the blinders and see the issue/problem in a different light.

Reward yourself
We tend to overlook the accomplishments we’ve made, and instead focus on what still needs to be done. While this helps quell any future fires, it also takes away the thrill of paying ourselves for a job well done. The next time you overcome a work milestone, celebrate by remunerating yourself—whether it’s buying a pair of shoes, or giving in to your sweet tooth.

Say No
The molehill at work turn into mountains when we say yes to everything being asked of us. If you honestly think you can’t deliver a project or service within the time allotted, say it outright to your client or boss, then offer a more realistic time frame. This saves you the stress of hurrying when you know you need more time. That being said, don’t be afraid to ask. Micro-managing or taking things all on your own are surefire ways to amp up the stress levels, so allow competent people to help you carry the burden.